There are many electrical connectors available of a type having a locking mechanism by which male or female terminals of the connector are locked in a connector housing. The locking mechanism defines a fully inserted position of a terminal and prevents the terminal from backing out of a dielectric connector housing opposite its direction of insertion. Many such locking mechanisms are provided in the form of resilient latch arms which lockingly engage the terminals. Often, the resilient latch arms are integrally molded with the dielectric housing for pivoting in a cantilevered fashion. An example of such a locking mechanism is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,319,797 to Otani et al, dated Mar. 16, 1982.
Problems with locking mechanisms of the character described above are becoming increasingly prevalent due the ever-increasing miniaturization of electrical connectors and their respective housings and terminals. In fact, the miniaturization of such electrical connectors has reached a point where such locking mechanisms hardly resist even moderate pull out forces on the respective terminals. This invention is directed to solving such problems by providing a locking means or system which can withstand relatively high pullout forces on the terminals which are locked within the connector housing.